Circuit-control system



Aug. 19, 1924 A. C. FIINNEY CIRCUIT CONTROL SYSTEM Filed Feb. 2 i923 Patented Aug. 19, 1924.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALFRED C. FINNEY, OF SCHENECTADY, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR TO GENERAL ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION 0F NEW YORK.

CIRCUIT-CONTROL SYSTEM.

Application led February 2, 1923.

T o all wko/m t may concern:

Be it known that I, ALFRED C. FINNEY, a citizen of the United States, residing at Schenectady, in the county of Schenectady, State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit- Control Systems, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in circuit control systems and more particularly to circuit control systems for a plurality of electric conductors arranged to be controlled by a plurality of electric switches so that the opening of any switch will effect vthe simultaneous opening of all the switches and so that each of the switches can be independently closed. An object of my invention is to provide for a plurality of electric conductors, an improved system of circuit control in which each of a plurality of conductors may be controlled by an electric switch of the type arranged to be controlled and actuated electrically for opening and closing without materially modifying the construction of the switch and without regard to the fault responsive control thereof, so that the opening of any switch will efl'ect the simultaneous opening of all the switches and so that each of the switches can be independently closed.

My invention will be better understood from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawing and its scope will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the single ligure of the accompanying drawing, l have illustrated diagrammatically an embodiment of my invention in a circuit control system comprising a plurality of electric conductors 1, 2, each of which may be arranged to be controlled by suitable electric switches or circuit interrupting means, such as circuit breakers 3, 4 respectively, arranged so that the opening of any circuit breaker will effect the substantially simultaneous opening of all and so that each circuit breaker can be independently closed. The conductors l, 2 may be, for example, the outside wires of an Edison tlireewvire direct current system for the control of which my invention is particularly advantageous, or they may represent, for example, the circuits on the high and low tension sides of a power transformer. It is, however, distinctly to be understood that my Serial No. 616,457.

invention is not limited to these particular applications, but may be used to advantage in any system comprising a plurality of conductors whose circuits it is desired to open simultaneously and close independently. The circuit breakers 3, 4 may be of the type arranged to be controlled and actuated electrically independently of circuit conditions and may also be provided with any of the well known fault-responsive means for control in response to abnormal circuit conditions, such as overcurrent, under-voltage, etc., since in accordance with my invention the circuit breakers are free for any fault-responsive control desired. F or controlling and actuating the circuit breakers 3, 4 electrically, they may be provided with any suitable control means such as opening coils 5, 6 respectively, arranged to effect the release of latching members 7 and 8 respectively, and also with suitable actuating or closing means such as closing coils 9 and 10 respectively. For controlling the circuit breakers 3, 4 in response to abnormal circuit conditions, they may be provided with any suitable electroresponsive devices such as over-current trip coils 11 and 12 respectively, arranged to effect the release of the latching members 7 and 8 respectively, and suitable meansV operative in response to other abnormal conditions as is well known to the art.

The opening coils 5 and 6 and the closing coils 9 and 10 may be energized f'rom any suitable source, such as control buses 13 and 14 and are arranged to have their circuits controlled by any suitable means such as control switches 15 and 16 arranged to control the circuits of the opening coils 5 and 6 respectively, and control switches 17 and 18 arranged to control the circuits of the closing coils 9 and 10 respectively. For indi eating the positions of the circuit breakers 3 and 4, suitable indicating means, such as green lamps 19 and 2O may be provided to indicate circuit open position and red lamps 21 and 22 to indicate circuit closed position. 'lhe various control circuits may also be provided with suitable protective means such as fuses 23 and resistors 24 if necessary.

For controlling the indicating lamps 19, 20, 2l and 22 and also for completing interlocking circuits for the control means or opening coils 5 and 6 so that, in accordance with my invention, the opening of any circuit breaker Will effect the opening of the other or others, each of the circuit breakers 3 and 4 may be provided with auxiliary switching members 25, 27 and 26, 28 respec tively. The switching member 25 is arranged to close contacts 29 in the control circuit ot the lamp 21 when the circuit breaker 3 is closed and to close contacts 31 in the control circuit of lamp 19 when the circuit breaker 3 is open. Similarly the switching member 26 associated with the cir cuit breaker 4 controls contacts 30 and 32 in the control circuits ot lamps 22 and 20 respectively.

In order that the opening ot one circuit breaker may. in accordance with my invention, effect the simultaneous opening ot the other or others, the switching members 27 andA 28, which are open when the respective circuit breaker is closed and closed when the respective circuit breaker is open` are arranged to control contacts 33 and 3-1 in interlocking circuits comprising conductors 36 and 35 respectively so as to complete the interlocking circuit of the control means 6 or 5 of one circuit breaker upon the opening of any other circuit breaker as will be more clearly set forth in the description ot the operation ot my invention. Furthermore, in order that each circuit breaker may be independently closed without being immediately tripped open by its opening coil, I provide means arranged to be controlled by the closing means ot any circuit breaker to render the control means or opening coil thereof inoperative to open the same until another circuit breaker has been closed. This means may be operative in response to the closing ot the control circuit of the closing coil ot the circuit breaker and may comprise suitable electro-responsive devices or relays 37, 38 having contact controlling members 39 and 40 respectively, arranged to cont-rol contacts 41 and 42 respectively, in the interlocking circuits comprising conductors 35 and 36. The relays 37 and 38 may be normally deenergized so that contacts 41 and 42 are normally closed. but upon the closing of one ot the control switches 17 or 18, the corresponding relay 37 or 38 will be energized to open contacts 41 or 42 in the interlocking circuits comprising conductors 35 or 36. thus rendering the control means 5 or 6 ot' circuit breaker 3 or 4 inoperative. Each of the relays 37, 38 may be arranged when ener gized to seal itself in through contacts 43 and 44 controlled by contact controlling members 45 and 46 respectively so as to maintain the interlockingV circuits open until the respective circuit breaker is closed. The closing of one of the control switches 17 or 18 energizes a relay 47 or 48 arranged to complete the circuit of the closing coil 9 or 10 respectively. The relays 47, 48

through contact controlling members 49. 50 control contacts 51, respectively in the circuits of the closing coils 9 and 10, and are preferably ot the instantaneous closing. time delay opening type so as to insure that the closing coil remains energized until the circuit breaker is definitely closed.

Assuming now that the circuit breakers 3, 4 are in the circuit closed4 position as shown in the accompanying drawing, the operation ot the illustrated embodiment ot my invention is as tollowsz-The opening ot each ot the circuit' breakers may bc ettected in each ot two ways. that is to say by the operation ot the fault-responsive means associated with the circuit breaker and also the opening coil associated with the circuit breaker.4 Considering either ot the circuit breakers 3. 4. for example. circuit breaker 3. over-current in conductor 1 will energize the over-current taulteresponsive means l1 to etlect the release ot latching member 7. or. it' control `switch 15 is closed. the opening coil 5 will be energized to ettect the release of latcliing member 7. The control circuit ol" the opening coil 5 is bus 14. conductor .33. control switch 15. conductor opening coil .'i. contacts 29. switching member conductor 57 and bus 13. Upon the opening ot the circuit breaker 3, switching member 2) opens contacts 29, thereby interrupting the indicating lamp control circuit comprising bus 14. conductor 53. lamp 21. conductor if). contacts 29. switching member conductor 57 and bus 13, and closes contacts 31 thereby completing the indicating lampl control circuit comprising bus 13, conductor 61. lamp 19, con- (l1ict'or63, contacts 31. switching member 25. conductor and bus 14. Also upon the opening ot: 'ircuit breaker 3. switching member 27 closes contacts 33, thereby completing the interlocking circuit ot the opening coil 6 ot the circuit breaker t. as itollows: bus 14. conductor 65, contacts 33. switching member 27. conductor 36. contacts 42. contact controlling member 16. conductor 56. opening coil 6, contacts 30. switching member 26. conductor 58 and bus 13. Consequently, the opening ot circuit breaker 4 occurs substantially simultaneously with the opening ot' circuit breaker 3. Upon the opening ot' circuit breaker 4, switching member 26 opens contacts 30. thereby opening the indicating lamp control circuit con'iprising bus 14, conductor lamp conductor 66. contacts 30. switching member 26. conductor 58 and bus 13, and closes contacts 32. thereby completing the indicating lampI control circuitcomprising bus 13. conductor 62, lamp 26, conductor 64. contacts 32, switching member 26` conductor 66 and bus 14. At the same time, switching member 28 closes contacts 34 in the interlocking circuit of the opening coil 5 of the circuit breaker 3, the

circuit being as follows: bus 14, conductor 66, contacts 34, switching member 28, conductor 35, contacts 41, contact controlling member 39, conductor 55, opening coil 5, contacts 29 and switching member 25, if the circuit breaker 3 be closed, conductor 57 and bus 13.

Assuming now, that it is desired to close any one of the circuit breakers, for example, circuit breaker 3, control switch 17 is closed, thereby completing a circuit including relay 47 as follows: bus 13, conductor 61, control switch 17 conductor 67, energizing winding of relay 47, conductor 63, contacts 31 switching member 25, conductor 65, and bus 14. The relay 47 operates substantially instantaneously to complete the circuit of closing coil 9 and thereby to effect the closing of the circuit breaker 3. The circuit of the closing coil 9 is control bus 13, conductor 57, contacts 51, contact controlling member 49, closing coil 9, conductor 65 and bus 14. Also upon the closing ofcontrol switch 17, a circuit is completed to energize relay 37 and open the interlocking circuit of opening coil 5 at contacts 41. The circuit for energizing relay 37 comprises bus 13, conductor 61, control switch 17, conductor 67, energizing winding of relay 37, conductor 35, contacts 34, switching member 28, conductor 66 and bus 14. If the interlocking circuit of opening coil 5 were not thus opened by relay 37, the circuit breaker 3 would be opened by opening coil 5 immediately upon being closed, since, if circuit breaker 4 were open, contacts 34 in the interlocking circuit of opening coil 5 would be closed by switching member 28 and switching member 25would close contacts 29 upon the closing of circuit breaker 3. When the relay 37 picks up to open contacts 41, it seals itself in through contacts 43 and contact controlling member 45 in a holding-in circuit comprising bus 13, conductor 57, contacts 43, contact controlling member 45, energizing winding of relay 37, conductor 35, contacts 34, switching member` 28, conductor 66 and bus 14. The relay 37 is thereby maintained energized and the interlocking circuit of opening coil 5 held open at contacts 41 .until the closing of circuit breaker 4 opens the interlocking circuit of opening coil 5 and the holding-in circuit of relay 37 at contacts 34. Circuit breaker 4 may be closed by closing control switch 18, thus completing a circuit comprising bus 13, conductor 62, control switch 18, conductor 68, energizing winding of relay 48, conductor 64, contacts 32, switching member 26,

conductor 66 and bus 14, to energize relay 48 which closes contacts 52 thereby completing the circuit of closing coil 10 asv follows: bus 14, conductor 66, closing coil 10, contacts 52, contact controlling member 50, conductor 58 and bus 13. Upon the closing of circuit breaker 4, switching member 26 opens contacts 34 thereby opening the energizing circuit of relay 37 which returns to its normal or interlocking position, that is, with contact controlling member 39 closing contacts 41. Upon closing control switch 18 relay 38 will not be energized since its energizing circuit is open at contacts 33 when the circuit breaker 3 is closed. It is therefore obvious that if any one of the circuit breakers alone is closed on a faulty circuit, it will be opened immediately by its fault-responsive means and, if one circuit breaker is closed on a sound line and the remaining circuit breaker is closed on a faulty line or a fault occurs on any line at any time or any breaker is opened by its control means, all of the breakers will be opened substantially simultaneously in consequence of the interlocking of the opening coils. The operation of closing circuit breaker 4 first and then the remaining circuit breaker or breakers will be obvious by analogy with the operation of closing circuit breaker 3 first, as herein set forth. In the application of my invention to the outside wires of an Edison three-wire direct current system, if one circuit. breaker is closed and then the second circuit breaker is closed on a faulty circuit, the circuit breaker closed first is stationary and will open more quickly than the last closed circuit breaker, since the mechanism of the circuit breaker first closed has merely to be accelerated from a standstill and not decelerated, stopped and accelerated as does the mechanism of the last closed circuit breaker which completes the faulty circuit. Moreover, each circuit breaker may be closed independently without the necessity of closing all so that any circuit can be placed in operation alone without affecting either the control ofthe circuit breaker by any of the fault responsive means associated therewith or the electric control and actuation of the circuit breaker. Thus in vaccordance with my invention any electrically controlled and actuated circuit breaker equipped with any desired fault responsive means may be employed, as the changes in construction necessary to adapt the circuit breaker to my iny vention are substantially immaterial, inasmuch as they embody merely the equipping of the circuit breaker with'suitable auxiliary switching means.

Although I have shown and described my invention inconsiderable detail, I do not wish to be limited to the specific details thereof, as shown and described, but may use such modifications, substitutions, or equivalents thereof, as are embraced within the spirit of my invention.

What I claim as new and desire to'secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is:

1. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of conductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control the circuits thereof, control means operative in response to the opening of one of said switches to effect the opening of another thereof, means adapted to be operated to close said other switch, and means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to render said control means inoperative until the closing of said one of said switches.

2. A circuit control system for a plurality of electric conductors comprising a plurality of circuit interrupting means adapted to be operated to control the circuits of said conductors, control means for opening said circuit interrupting means, means operative in response to the opening of one of said circuit interrupting means to effect the opening of another of said circuit interrupting means by the control means thereof, mea-ns for closing saidcircuit interrupting means, and means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to render the control means of one o-f said circuit interrupting means inoperative until the closing of another of said circuit interrupting means.

3. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of con ductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control the circuits thereof, control means for opening one of said switches, means arranged upon the opening of another of said switches to render said control means operative, means adapted to be operated to close said one of said switches, and means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to render said control means inoperative until the closing of said other switch.

4. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of conductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control the circuits thereof, control means for opening each of said switches, means arranged upon the opening of one of said switches tocomplete the circuit of the control means of another of said switches to effect the opening thereof, means adapted to be operated to close each of sa-id switches independently of the other, and means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to render the control means of one of said switches inoperative to open the same until the closing of another of said switches.

5. A circuit controlI system of the class described comprising a plurality of conductors, a plurality' of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted tobe operated to control the circuits thereof, means comprising an opening coil associated with each of said switches for effecting the opening thereof, means arranged upon the opening of one of said switches to complete the circuit of the opening coil of another of said switches whereby to effect the opening thereof, means comprising a closing coil associated with each of said switches for effecting the closing of each thereof independently of the other, and electroresponsive means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to open the circuit of the opening coil of one of said switches and maintain said circuit open until the closing of another of said switches.

6. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of conductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control fthe circuits thereof, means comprising an opening coil associated with one of said switches for effecting the opening thereof, an. interlocking circuit for said opening coil, means arranged upon the opening of another of said switches to complete said interlocking circuit thereby to energize said opening coil and effect the opening of the switch associated therewith, closing means comprising a closing coil, associated with said other switch for effecting the closing thereof, and electroresponsive means arranged to be controlled by said closing means to open said interlocking circuit and maintain the same open until the closing of said other switch.

7. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of conductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control the circuits thereof, means comprising an opening coil associated with one of said switches for effecting the opening thereof, a normally open interlocking circuit for said opening coil, means arranged upon the opening of another of said switches to complete said interlocking circuit thereby to energize said opening coil and effect the opening of the switch associated therewith, a closing coil associa-ted with said other switch for effecting the closing thereof, control means adapted to be operated to control the circuit of said closing coil, and electroresponsive means arranged to be controlled by said control means to open said interlocking circuit and maintain the same open until the closing of said other switch.

8. A circuit control system of the class described comprising a plurality of con- .ductors, a plurality of electric switches arranged one in each of a plurality of said conductors and adapted to be operated to control the circuits thereof, an opening coil associated with each of said switches and arranged when energized to effect the opening thereof, a normally open interlocking circuit for each of said opening coils, auxiliary switching means associated with each of said switches and arranged upon the opening of one of said switches to complete the interlocking circuit of the opening coil of another of said switches to eiect the opening thereof, means for closing each of said switches, means comprising a plurality of control switches for controlling said closing means whereby each of said switches may be closed independently, and relay means for controlling said interlocking circuits arranged to be controlled by said control switches to render the opening coil of one of said switches inoperative to open the same until the closing of another of said switches.

In witness whereof I have hereunto seb 20 my hand this 31st day of January, 1923. ALFRED C. F INNEY. 

